Wilbur (Sives) has attempted suicide by every possible means but has yet to succeed. When his father dies, his brother Harbour (Rawlins) encourages him to take an interest in the down-at-heel secondhand bookshop that they have inherited. One of their most devoted customers is single mother Alice (Henderson) who works at the local hospital and augments her meagre income by selling the eclectic array of books that are discarded in the waiting rooms and wards. There is an instant rapport between the vulnerable Alice and the kindly Harbour and a deeper affection that grows between her and Wilbur. Faced with a sense of responsibility to others, Wilbur finally becomes selfless enough to embrace life and stop wanting to kill himself.